Social Question

Runners: Did you start with Couch-to-5K?

I am interested in hearing about peoples’ experiences as a beginning runner, especially if they started out doing the Couch-to-5K or any similar regimen.

Did you stick to it? How did you increase your time/distance after you finished the program? If you started out hating to run, when did it get better (or did it not)? What was your source of motivation? Or, on the other hand, do you loathe running?

I just started “from scratch” last week with the hubs. So far, so good! Usually, I overdo it and wind up hurting myself.

6 Answers

I started running and could bearly do a mile straight… I liked running on a track since I can measure distance and the track is made for running. What I would do is start thinking about things I needed to acomplish while running and how I would do them. It kept my mind busy thinking while I was running. I added distance by remembering where I stopped running so the next time I could run a little further even if it were a couple of steps more. I would also walk the rest of the 5K so the muscles would continue to build and that was how I cooled down, I would walk at a faster pace in the begining then slow down at the end.

Even when I got to my goal for distance I would still walk an extra 2 miles for cooling off.

Another thing to remember is alway stretch before you begin and after you finish running.

I too, could once not run a mile straight through. When I decided I was going to do it a mile was my frist goal. When I reached a mile straight I stuck with that for a week or so while also doing other cardiovascular exercise, and then added another mile. I did this progressively until I reached about four miles.

I hated running for a long time. I started to enjoy when I started to be a little bit good at it: that being said when I say good, I mean for my own PR’s – actually completing the run. After training for a while I signed up for my first road race which was a 4 mile race. I ran my best time . Since then I have run a few 5k’s the 4— miler each year, and this year I set a goal and ran my first 10k. Even now I have weeks that I just don’t want to run. As soon as you get out of a routine- you lose soe of your gains. It’s important to practice mind over matter here.

Tell yourself I can, I want, I will, I do

I would not suggest going from the couch to a 5 k- unless the couch is actually not the couch, and some other physical activity that you do. Your body needs to adapt and if you gradually progress your body to be able to handle that, and you learn to regulate your breathing- everything starts to come together.Hooray for running! Set some goals for yourself, and be thrilled as you run your way to acheiving them .

I’ve been running, jogging and racing consistently since 1980. Prior to that I struggled. I would start jogging for a while and then stop many times. In the beginning I disliked running but really like how I felt after running. Working out with and racing with other runners was a big factor in keeping me going. Another key motivating factor for me was and still is my running journal that goes all of the way back to 1983. Each day I log my running workouts, calisthenics, swimming, weight training, cycling, etc. I hardly ever leave a page blank. It is a handy reference to what works and what doesn’t as well as a place to record race times (splits) and PR’s.

Be very cautious when you start out running. You need to give your body a lot of time to adjust and adapt. I have seen many new runners get so excited with running and soon wind up injured and discouraged. I suggest that you join a running club and train with experience runners. They will likely be happy to help you keep from becoming injured as well as run faster and farther. Running store workers know how to contact running clubs in your area. It is a good way to meet new friends. I met my wife that way. We are both over 60 now and still jog together including marathons.